Crossing Boundaries
by Kelli. With an I
Summary: Eric. Calleigh. One angry, resourceful ex girlfriend. One endless nightmare.
1. Prying Eyes

Remember Gloria? That crazy psycho ex from 'Rampage' (ep 4x24)? That's the only piece of canon you need to know, so disregard everything else. Basically I'm just a bit tired of the Eric-Cal-Jake triangle, so I thought I'd rebel and bring Gloria back instead. :) Obviously I don't own a thing; not the characters, not the settings, not anything.

* * *

It was a muggy, late spring night; quite typical for this time of year. An afternoon rainshower had cooled the air earlier, but did nothing for the humidity - if anything, it was stickier out tonight than it had been during the day. The stickiness was forced to hang around into the night by the clouds that filled the night sky, only occasionally breaking enough to let the moon peak through. 

It wasn't the best night for dining on a restaurant patio, right by the sea, but that hadn't fazed Eric or Calleigh in the slightest. Calleigh loved feeling the sea breeze whip through her hair, and didn't even seem to mind as the humidity curled her silky blonde locks. Graced by that sight before him on that patio, Eric certainly hadn't minded. She had looked like an angel sitting in front of him all evening.

He might've been convinced of her angelic qualities if not for the incessant movement of her foot beneath the table all evening. As if she didn't already drive him crazy enough just by being around him.

The memories brought a grin to his face as he pulled into her - or really, _their _- driveway. There was such a thrill in thinking of things that way now - their driveway, their home, their life together. As he pulled the key from the ignition and stepped from the car, Eric's smile widened, knowing there was nobody he'd rather share all that with.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Calleigh's voice, and he looked over to see her stretch lightly as she climbed out of the car as well. "I think that might be the best dinner I've had in a while," she said appreciatively. "We should go there more often."

"Yeah, and maybe next time we can actually get dessert. I can't believe you made me leave before we could try some," Eric pretended to whine, closing his door.

Calleigh laughed. "And spoil your appetite for the _real_ dessert? I don't think so," she teased, winking at him. She gave him a seductive smile before she made her way up the walkway. Eric hesitated for the moment, simply watching with his own smile as she walked away from him, her hips swaying invitingly. The dress she'd worn hugged all her curves perfectly. Her hair fell in loose waves, bouncing gently off her shoulders and framing her face beautifully. If Calleigh didn't already take his breath away, this vision of her right now certainly did.

Reaching her doorstep, Calleigh turned around, not feeling Eric behind her. She tilted her head, seeing him still standing by the car, his arms loosely crossed and a growing smile on his lips. "You coming?" she asked, gazing down at him.

He nodded. "In a minute."

Calleigh grinned, her eyes sparkling. They'd held that sparkle all evening; it emphasized the already beautiful green of her eyes, in turn making her all the more beautiful. "What are you doing?" she asked, watching as he leaned against the car.

Eric chuckled. "Watching you. You're beautiful, you know."

The smile that lit Calleigh's face was radiant, spreading from ear to ear. She reached up, tucking a loose wave behind her left ear. Lazily she strode back down the steps again, loving the way Eric's eyes followed her every move. "Wouldn't you rather," she began, stopping in front of him and taking his hands in hers, "watch me somewhere else?" she finished low, tugging playfully at his hands.

A grin crossed his lips, and Eric dropped her hands, instead laying his atop her hips. "I'd watch you anywhere," he replied, dropping his lips to hers. "Anywhere, anytime," he added, punctuating both words with a kiss.

Calleigh gave a contented sigh, looping her arms about his neck. "You really do say the sweetest things, don't you?"

"Only to you."

Calleigh giggled. "Good answer," she said with a smile. She stepped onto her tiptoes, claiming his lips in a quick kiss. "Take me inside?" she murmured, a devious glint flashing through her eyes.

Eric's grin only widened, and he let Calleigh take hold of his hands again. "Lead the way, baby."

Gently she pulled at his hands, giggling as he followed her to the door. "Believe me," she said seductively, "I plan on leading all night."

"You do?" Eric asked, lifting a questioning brow, though his grin belied his amusement.

Calleigh chuckled devilishly as she unlocked the front door, pushing it open. "Absolutely."

He allowed her to open the door, but once it was open, he pulled her back to him, backing her toward the door. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?" he teased, pinning her to the door.

Calleigh opened her mouth to retort, but instead found Eric's mouth quickly closing over her own. Her eyes fell closed and a tiny moan slipped from her throat as the kiss immediately deepened, leaving Calleigh glad for the support of the door when her knees weakened. Eric buried his hands in her hair, the silky strands soft between his fingers. His tongue eagerly explored the warm cavern of her mouth, tasting that which was so addictively Calleigh.

The sound of a car in the distance jarred him unpleasantly back to the present, and reluctantly he pulled away from her, causing her to whimper in protest. Eric didn't want to pull away, but he knew if he didn't, it wouldn't have been long before they were arrested for public indecency. After all, he did still have Calleigh pinned to her open front door. Calleigh, who with her flushed cheeks and her hair mussed like that, not to mention her heavy breathing, it was hard not to keep her pinned there. It was always difficult to stay in control around her, but with her looking like that, it was damn near impossible.

She bit her lip and gave him what might've passed for an innocent grin had she not looked like that. "Maybe we should actually go inside…" she suggested coyly.

Eric leaned in, dropping his lips to her neck. "I think that'd be a good idea," he concurred, stepping back after a moment, letting Calleigh move from between his body and the door. With another devilish grin, she took his hand and tugged him gently inside, quickly closing the door behind them and locking them away from the world, away from prying eyes.

Prying eyes, much like those hidden away just across the street, lurking quietly in an inconspicuous black car. Prying eyes belonging to a scheming Gloria Williams.

It wasn't the first time Gloria had watched Eric go inside with Calleigh. Calleigh wasn't the first woman Gloria had watched Eric go home with either. And every one of them was just wrong. They were mistakes, all of them.

She knew Eric had made a mistake in breaking up with her. It was up to her to show him that.

Gloria smiled to herself. She was getting there, albeit slowly. But she was willing to wait it out; these things took time.

She'd sabotaged his last four relationships. Eric knew she had a hand in each of them; what he didn't know was how deeply involved she'd been. From the beginning, she knew she'd have to be just as deeply involved with this one, if not more so. She'd been watching Eric with Calleigh for months; in fact, it had to be the longest relationship Eric had had since being with her.

That bothered Gloria. _What the hell kind of spell did that stupid blonde put on him? _It was the question she wondered every single time she saw Eric talk to Calleigh; every time he kissed her; every time he let her lead him inside. _Silly Eric; she's nothing compared to me. You know that. _

But it didn't really matter though; it would all be over soon anyway.

With a plan already forming in her mind, Gloria started her car and quickly sped off into the darkness. She'd seen all she needed to see tonight. It didn't take long to convince herself that soon Eric would be going home with her again. All she needed to do was get rid of the blonde.

Chase her away, or literally get rid of her - Gloria didn't care. Either one would work, though having the blonde gone permanently sounded nice to her. But Gloria was smart; she wouldn't resort to that unless she had to. She _did_ know people, but it would be a lot harder to keep her hands clean of that than for something less severe.

She wasn't out for vengeance. All she wanted was what was rightfully hers: Eric Delko. He was hers. He was always meant to be hers. And whatever it took, Gloria was going to get him back.

Even if that meant crossing every last boundary.

She _would_ get what she wanted.

* * *

tbc... 


	2. A Message

My apologies for the long wait on this - unfortunately, my laptop crashed last month, and I hadn't had a thing backed up. Go me, lol. So I'm just now getting the chance to put everything back together. Anyway, here's chapter two. Thanks to everybody who reviewed the first!

* * *

If there was any quality that Gloria Williams possessed in excess, it was patience. 

Sure, she didn't appreciate waiting and waiting, only for things not to go her way. She didn't appreciate it when people cut in front of her in line. She didn't appreciate dealing with people who had no idea what they wanted. But it wasn't the waiting around that irritated her. No, Gloria had gotten where she was now by lying in wait, and knowing when to pounce; when the timing was right.

By no means were her actions ever rash. Gloria was smart, and it didn't hurt that she'd dated a CSI. She didn't act until she knew no mistakes would be made. She never acted before she had a solid before plan, and a solid after plan. And so patiently she could wait, for days, weeks, perhaps months.

But Gloria knew that in the end, she would be the winner. She would be the one on top. She would get what she wanted, and knowing that was plenty enough to keep her calm while she worked out a plan.

Patience was key. Gloria had absolutely nothing against waiting, especially when the end of the waiting would deliver Eric Delko back to her bed.

Twilight was fast approaching; the first light of morning just beginning to touch the eastern sky. The rest of the sky remained sheathed in darkness, at least for a short while longer. But inside the house across the street from where Gloria waited was a different story. A yellow glow had long illuminated the windows, though as twilight progressed, those lights would disappear as the occupants within made their way out.

Both of them had first callout this morning, Gloria knew. Both of them would be gone, on their way to work before the sun had even begun peeking above the horizon. The blonde would make one last run around the house, making sure the lights were off, the toaster unplugged, the stovetop cool; while Eric would wait patiently at the door. He would smile as she stepped into the foyer, and more often than not, she would rise to her tiptoes and press a quick kiss to his lips. They then would walk out the door, Eric locking it behind them.

Another kiss, and they were off to work, but always in separate cars. If there was anything about the relationship that Gloria liked, it was that. Their relationship had been out in the open. They hadn't felt the need to hide. It was what put a smile on Gloria's face as she watched the two cars speed away - she just knew Eric was ashamed of that blonde.

Gloria knew she was doing Eric a favor. Once he was rid of that blonde, then he would have no reason to hide anything. He wouldn't have to live a secret life.

And so, convinced she was doing this as much for Eric as for herself, Gloria had waited. She'd hidden herself in the same black car from which she'd watched the couple so many nights before. Parked on the street, it didn't attract any more attention than any of the other cars parked there. The windows were tinted just right - Gloria could see them, but they could not see her. In the past week, she'd memorized their routines - well, she'd memorized Calleigh's routine, since she already knew Eric's by heart. She knew when they would leave for work; she knew when they would be back. She knew on Thursdays, Calleigh came home for lunch, while Monday was Eric's day. She knew the days they went in early; she knew the days they stayed late. The only time the couple was free from Gloria's scrutiny was when they were inside the house, away from the front windows. Gloria could live with that; she knew the boundary between coincidence and suspicion, and she planned to stay well enough away from it.

There was one thing about Calleigh's routine that puzzled Gloria, though. Most evenings, usually after dinner, Calleigh, changed out of her work clothes, would slip back outside, devoting an hour or so to the tidy, perfect flowerbed out front. Gloria had watched in confusion, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the steering wheel. She couldn't imagine getting out there in the heat, and practically crawling around in the dirt, just for a few pretty flowers. Either Gloria would have people to do that kind of thing for her, or she wouldn't have flowers at all. What was the point, anyway? They just die, leading to more and more garden work. It was an endless cycle, yet from the scene Gloria had witnessed the other night, Calleigh didn't seem to be bothered by it.

-

_With a smile on her face, Calleigh rose to her feet, dusting her hands off on her old jeans. Satisfied that all the weeds were out of the garden and away from her beautiful tulips, she walked over to the wall, grabbing the hose and turning on the water. She set the dial on the spray attachment to light and waited for the water to travel through the hose. _

_"You've got dirt on your cheek." _

_Calleigh turned, her smile widening as Eric approached her. She shook her head at herself, rolling her eyes. "I guess I tried to wipe the sweat off my face and got dirt on it instead," she said, lifting her hand to her cheek. _

_Eric grinned, catching her hand in mid-lift. "I think it's cute," he teased. He released her hand, instead reaching out to gently tug at one of her braids. "As are these." _

_Calleigh giggled, blushing as she pressed the trigger on the sprayer, sending a light spray of water over the garden. "They keep my hair out of my face." _

_He took a step closer. "And like I said, they're cute." With a smirk, he lifted one, brushing the end of the braid over Calleigh's nose, pulling another giggle from her. "You coming in soon?" _

_"In a little bit," Calleigh replied. "As soon as I finish watering my tulips." She smiled proudly. "Aren't they pretty?" _

_"Not as pretty as you," Eric said, winking. He slipped in behind her, snaking his arms around her waist as he dropped his lips to her neck. _

_Calleigh laughed. "Eric!" she protested, trying to pull away from him. "I'm sticky! I need a shower." _

_He let her slip out of his arms, confident he'd have her back there later. "Well, come on in and we can get that shower," he suggested, his eyes sparkling deviously. "Or, if you'd rather, we can do it right here!" Eric made a grab for the hose, not wrenching it from Calleigh's hands, but merely turning it around on her. _

_"Eric!" Calleigh squealed, shivering slightly as water dripped from her face. Eric laughed hysterically, though wisely he turned and ran back toward the front door. "You'd better run!" Calleigh yelled after him, attempting to spray him with the hose, but missing by a long shot. He turned back once, sending her a taunting wink before disappearing back inside the house. _

_She saw him smirking at her from the window, and with an amused chuckle, Calleigh quickly finished watering her tulips. She turned off the water and replaced the hose, and with her own devious grin, Calleigh headed back inside, already plotting her "revenge." _

-

Gloria had watched the little exchange with a sour look on her face. She had no idea what that blonde had done to bewitch Eric so, but she was determined to undo it. _Her_ Eric did not act like a child.

After Calleigh had followed him inside, Gloria had taken a closer look at those tulips. To her, they were nothing special - they were just flowers. But by the amount of time Calleigh had put into them in just the past week alone, she was obviously quite attached to them. Maybe they meant something to her; maybe she just thought they added something to the outside of the house. Either way, Calleigh's devotion to them made them that much unattractive to Gloria.

Gloria started, a sudden movement grabbing her attention. Right on schedule, there was Eric, waiting at the front door for Calleigh. Seconds passed, and just as predicted, Calleigh appeared at his side. She gave him her usual kiss, prompting Gloria's usual eyeroll. The rest of their routine passed just as Gloria knew it would, and with one more kiss, the two of them were off to work, both in their separate cars.

The timing was perfect, but then again, Gloria had known it would be. It was still dark enough that she wouldn't be seen, even after she waited the required ten minutes to be sure neither Eric nor Calleigh were heading back home, possibly having forgotten something.

Smiling evilly, Gloria made sure her hair was tucked securely into the tacky baseball cap she'd made herself wear. It added to her anonymity, as well as making sure she left nothing behind. She'd seen enough of those crime shows where the suspect was tied to the scene by a single, stray hair. Quietly, she slipped out of the car, took a cursory glance around, and when she was sure all was clear, she quickly tiptoed across the street and into the yard, a scheming glint in her eyes and a pair of sharpened shears in her left hand.

She wasn't stupid enough to go after Calleigh first. No, her first mission was to simply send a message.

And then she'd go in for the proverbial kill.

* * *

tbc... 


	3. Watch Your Back

I fail at updating. I'm sorry. :( However, I do appreciate all your reviews and your patience...well, what's left of it, anyway, lol.

* * *

Forget diamonds. This girl's best friend was her trusty pair of binoculars. 

All day, Gloria's excitement had grown as she waited for the moment of truth. Once more, she lurked in her hiding space, her heart beating ever faster with each minute that ticked by. Any moment, Calleigh Duquesne would pull into the driveway.

She knew it would be Calleigh first, because that was how it always was. Calleigh always left work first, though Eric was never far behind.

Sure enough, Gloria was right. Only moments later, Calleigh was pulling into the driveway, unaware that her every move was being scrutinized. With a grin, she picked up her binoculars and gazed through them, just in time to watch Calleigh getting out of the car.

To Gloria, Calleigh was nothing more than a blonde bimbo who'd used her golden locks to bewitch Eric. It was the only way Eric would ever go for someone like her. There was nothing special about her; nothing that Gloria could see. She wasn't unfortunate-looking, no, but surely someone like Eric could find something, anything better.

Gloria gave a smug smile. She knew it wouldn't take long at all to show Eric how wrong Calleigh was for him. In time, Eric would know that Gloria was the only woman for him. After all, she was _so_ much better than the blonde. She knew she dressed better than that blonde. She was taller, prettier, and Eric _knew_ she liked to have fun.

And that handbag was just disastrous. Gloria winced, watching Calleigh sling that atrocity over her shoulder.

Although, there was something redeeming about Calleigh - her heels. Mentally she added to her goal: get the blonde out of the way, but keep the shoes.

Gloria forced herself to stop focusing on how completely unworthy that woman was for Eric and to focus on Calleigh's reaction. She watched as Calleigh moved toward the front door, keys already in hand.

And then it happened.

Subtly, Calleigh glanced to the right, her steps faltering immediately. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened, and Gloria smiled in victory, knowing Calleigh had found her present.

Confusion brewing within her, Calleigh made her way over to the garden, her steps noticeably slower, noticeably shakier. Her shoulders slumped, and Gloria waited with bated breath for everything to fully sink in.

She was not disappointed. Just as Eric drove into the driveway, Gloria gave a small squeal of victory, watching as Calleigh slowly dropped to her knees in front of the flowerbed.

Eric had seen it too, and worried, he was out of the car and by her side almost immediately. But his concern was for Calleigh; he'd yet to notice the tulips. "Calleigh?" he called softly, worried when she didn't answer. " Cal…"

And then he followed her eyesight, and his own heart lurched at the sight in front of them. Before their eyes were the remains of Calleigh's beautiful tulips. The green stems still stood, but at their peaks there was nothing. Their bright yellow blossoms were now scattered about the soil, already wilting in the heat of the day.

Gingerly Calleigh reached out, taking one of the blossoms in her hands. Their life-force gone, they had already begun to dry out and fade, leaving behind only dull, slightly crunchy petals.

"Somebody cut them…" she murmured, cradling the single blossom in her hands.

Eric was stunned. "Who would do that?" he asked, kneeling on the ground beside her. As he watched her green eyes, eerily empty of their usual sparkle, Eric felt his heart break. He knew just how much time, how much work Calleigh had put into her tulips. She spent night after night preening and weeding that garden.

And now, every bit of that hard work had been savagely destroyed.

A feeling of rage rose up within Eric as his mind frantically searched through everybody who might have something against Calleigh; against them. But he came up blank; there wasn't a single person he could think of that would do this. It seemed to him that it would make more sense to come after Calleigh herself, rather than her flowers.

But as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Eric realized that this _was_ an attack on Calleigh. It was something that had come completely out of the blue. She was stunned and upset; two things that didn't often happen to Calleigh, at least not simultaneously.

Calleigh shook her head, almost brokenly. "I don't know. I just…they were fine when we left this morning." She let the blossom in her hand fall to the ground, closing her eyes as she tried to discern what could have happened.

If there was anything that Calleigh prided herself on, it was that she did not cry.

But even she couldn't deny how badly she wanted to. Her garden was her baby. She'd raised those tulips from when they were nothing more than bulbs; she'd taken amazing care of them during the hottest and driest parts of the summer.

She'd kept them alive and beautiful throughout all that. And now, in the span of one day, they were all gone.

"Who could do this?" she asked, echoing Eric's earlier question.

It was the million dollar question. In that moment, Eric would've given anything for the answer. He racked his brain, but still it came up empty. With his CSI eyes, he took a closer look at the tulips. If anything was certain, it was that this was not random. It was far too neat to be a random act of hostility. Everything reeked of premeditation - the soil was almost completely undisturbed, the blossoms were all neatly severed from their stems, every last one.

Nobody could run across to the flowerbed with a pair of scissors and claim this was an accident, nor could they claim that it had nothing to do with Eric and Calleigh. This was personal.

A familiar chill passed over Eric's body, spreading quickly through his veins. The hairs at the back of his neck prickled, and suddenly, he didn't feel comfortable being outside anymore.

He felt almost as though they were being watched. And it wasn't a passing feeling; the longer they stayed there, the more intense it became.

He didn't know why, but Eric knew they needed to get in the house. "Come on," he murmured, gently helping Calleigh to her feet. "Let's get inside, okay?"

At first, she protested. "But I need to clean this up," she said flatly.

"I'll help take care of it later," Eric insisted. He really didn't feel comfortable being outside right now; he'd feel even less comfortable about Calleigh being out there.

He didn't elaborate; he didn't want to shake Calleigh even more, especially when it might even be nothing at all. But he couldn't deny that strange feeling that had overtaken him. But to his relief, Calleigh agreed without any more protest. "Fine," she murmured, her eyes downcast, leaning her body into his. "I'm tired anyway."

Eric forced a smile, trying to keep that suspicious feeling at bay. "We'll clean it up tomorrow, together. And then we can buy more, and I'll help replant them, okay?"

For the first time, Calleigh smiled. His offer was genuine, even though the endeavor had been only hers in the beginning. She felt touched; she knew he understood how much those tulips meant to her. "Thanks, Eric."

"You're welcome, baby," he murmured, gently nuzzling in her hair. He let out a sigh of relief as Calleigh gave a soft half-giggle, letting him know that she'd be okay. "I love you. And I'm sorry."

Calleigh shook her head. "It's not your fault," she said, trying to forget about her beheaded tulips. And Eric was right; they could replant them. "And I love you too."

The binoculars gave Gloria a perfect view of the loving smile on Eric's lips. She was dying to throw something, but like always, she kept her cool. It was too early in the mission to lose it. Instead, she plotted. Her intelligence was much better suited for that anyway.

She watched as Eric tightened his arm around Calleigh, scowling as he kissed the top of her head again. "Enjoy it now, Blondie. Those stupid flowers aren't the only things you're gonna lose," she murmured, an evil smile at her lips. "You'd better watch your back, sweetheart."

As Eric led Calleigh inside, he hesitated just outside the door. To Gloria's brief dismay, his eyes flickered over toward her hiding place. But that was all it was, brief dismay. After all, Eric would find out soon enough what was going on.

"And then," Gloria muttered, carefully stowing away her binoculars, already plotting the next phase of her mission. "You'll thank me, Eric. You'll see."

* * *

tbc... 


	4. Random Vandalism?

For nearly an hour, Eric had sat in front of the computer, drumming his fingers on the desk as the screen before him scrambled through the print database. That morning, he and Calleigh had gone through their usual routine before leaving for work in separate cars. Except, after Calleigh had gone, Eric had stepped out of his car again, and in the light of morning, he'd surveyed the damage done to Calleigh's beautiful tulips.

If he looked past the flowers, nothing seemed out of place. The soil, the grass on the outside of the garden, the decorative rocks – all of them were where they belonged.

But as the sun continued to rise, Eric saw it. There, in the dirt. It was a small glimmer, and as Eric bent down to take a closer look, he grinned in triumph. Sticking out from beneath the topsoil was a single blade.

Carefully, Eric brushed the soil away, wishing the entire time that he had a pair of gloves on him. This was perfect; he and Calleigh had spent a large portion of the night wondering who might've done this, and now, Eric had found the smoking gun. It was a pair of scissors, obviously left behind by whoever had cut Calleigh's flowers.

"Who would be stupid enough to leave these behind?" Eric asked himself, chuckling softly.

It was the question he was currently trying to answer. As soon as he'd gotten some free time at work that morning, Eric had dusted the scissors for prints, and as luck would have it, he happened to find a nice juicy one. Painstakingly he'd lifted it and scanned it into the computer.

Now all he had to do was wait for AFIS to hit on a match.

He'd been watching the screen for so long that it almost lulled him into a state of half-sleep. It was some time later that he was jolted back from that state, and he looked expectantly at the screen, only to realize it was still searching. The sound that had surprised him had come from his belt, from the cell phone clipped there.

Still watching the computer as it scanned through numerous prints, Eric fumbled for his phone and lifted it quickly to his ear. He hoped this wasn't another call-out; all Eric wanted to do right now was find the bastard who had chopped up Calleigh's tulips.

They were just flowers, yes. But Eric had seen the look on Calleigh's face when her eyes had fallen upon the massacred remains of her beautiful garden. The sight had tugged at his heart so immensely, and he wanted nothing more than to make it all right again. And at the moment, making things right meant finding the vandal who'd done this.

Pushing his frustration from his voice with considerable effort, Eric answered the phone. "Delko."

"Long time no see, sweetie."

There was no mistaking the chill that moved through his veins at the sound of that voice. Eric would know that low, seductive tone anywhere. At least, at one time he'd found it seductive. Now, all that voice meant was trouble. "I thought I told you never to call me at work, Gloria," Eric all but growled, rising from the stool. He could never speak to her while sitting down; she always riled him up far too much.

Gloria snickered. "Oh, Eric baby," she cooed, clucking her tongue disapprovingly. "It's not like I called the lab. I called your cell phone." She paused, grinning. "And besides, you always _loved_ when I used to call you in the middle of the day like this. Those were…quite the rendezvous."

Repressing a shudder, Eric closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Yes they were, Gloria. They were distracting, and frustrating, and you almost got me fired every time."

"I was trying to show you how well you had it made," Gloria smirked. "You would've never had to work again if you had stayed with me.

"I like my job," Eric replied, barely keeping his irritation in check.

"But why?" Gloria asked, twirling her hair around a finger as she spoke. "That job is so unpredictable."

"Maybe so, but at least my job isn't a psycho bitch."

Gloria only giggled. "Oh, Eric. I do love when you get angry. It's just such a turn-on. And it makes for some of the best lovemaking, don't you agree?" She knew she was pushing his buttons, but it would only be so long before he began to remember what they'd once had together. "You remember that night, not too long ago, right?"

Eric rolled his eyes, having had enough. "Gloria –"

"You were so angry about something at work; I don't remember what. I don't care what. But you came home, and it took a little bit of coercion to make you realize how badly you wanted me, but once you realized that…oh my God," she said, the memory exciting her just as much as she hoped it would Eric.

Swallowing forcefully, Eric forced his concentration to the computer screen as he tried to tune Gloria out. He did remember that particular night. He didn't want to, but he did. Knowing where this was going, he tried interrupting again. "Gloria –"

"You threw me up against the wall, growling as you ripped the clothes right off of my body. So sexy, that feral growl," Gloria continued with a quiet moan. "Mm, you felt _so_ good, baby. Nobody has ever made me scream like I did that night. Don't you remember how you made me rake my nails down your back in sheer lust?"

_You love Calleigh._ It was the chant that his heart repeated over and over to Eric's inflating ego. Gloria had never been secretive about what he did to her, and no matter how many times he heard it, he couldn't help but react. But he _loved_ Calleigh. Not Gloria. Never Gloria. "Gloria, you know that was years ago," he said. "I don't want anything to do with that part of my past." To anyone else, it might've sounded harsh. But this was Gloria. Harsh she knew not.

Gloria sighed extravagantly. "Why not, sweetie?" She paused for a beat, giving the impression that she was thinking, when in fact she knew the answer. "You're seeing someone, aren't you?" she accused, inflecting a tinge of hurt into her voice.

"I…no, I'm not," Eric lied, his only concern protecting Calleigh. He remembered all too well the nuisance that Gloria had been to all of his other past girlfriends. She had broken windows, stolen purses, among other things. Eric didn't want Calleigh caught up in that.

Calleigh could handle herself, Eric was sure. But because he loved her, he couldn't help wanting to protect her from this psycho. He cleared his throat, hoping his lie didn't shine through over the phone. "I'm not seeing anybody, Gloria."

"Oh, really?" Gloria laughed silently. This was working better than she'd thought. Obviously Eric didn't know that he and Barbie were being spied on at nearly all hours of the day, and Eric had no idea that she'd been the one to cut Calleigh's tulips. Either that, or Eric really was embarrassed at his relationship with the blonde. Either one would suit Gloria just fine. Vaguely she wondered if she'd found the scissors she'd planted before training her mind back once more to what was most important at the moment. "That's such a shame, baby," she added, clucking again. "But I guess you're saving it all for me, huh?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly it," Eric answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes again. He raked his free hand through his short hair, feeling so completely frustrated, annoyed….there were just too many words to describe how he felt right now.

Of course, Gloria chose to ignore the sarcasm. "I thought so," she cooed, her voice sickeningly saccharine. "This is your lucky week, then," she added.

Eric turned around, looking out into the lab. Staring at that computer screen while on the phone with Gloria just wasn't helping his mood. There was only one thing that could make him feel better, and it was standing outside the glass, talking to Frank just a few yards away. "Why is that?" he asked, his gaze softening more and more the longer he gazed at Calleigh.

Gloria gave a devilish giggle, and even through the phone it made the hair at the back of Eric's neck stand on end. "Because, baby," she cooed. "Thursday night, nine o'clock. My place; I _know_ you still know where I live. I bet you drive by there all the time, just wishing you'd never let what we had slip away. Well, now's your chance, babe."

Eric gave an incredulous laugh. "Do you think I'm crazy or something?"

"Crazy over me," she asserted. "I mean, come on, Eric. You _know_ we always had fun together. And don't you try to pretend that I didn't make you feel good…"

Eric ignored her; out in the hallway, Frank was walking away, and Calleigh had looked up, her beautiful green gaze locking with his. She flashed him that gorgeous smile of his, and Eric felt his heart flutter in his chest. There was no comparison: _that_ was the woman he loved, not the crazy psycho on the phone with him.

But a sense of fear gripped him as Calleigh began walking toward his lab. He needed to get rid of Gloria, who was still rambling away, seemingly without a clue that Eric had been ignoring her.

"…and I still have those feathery handcuffs. There's no better sight than seeing you naked and cuffed to my bed, your eyes just begging me to grant you some kind of release."

"Look, Gloria," Eric interrupted angrily. "You and I – we were over a long time ago. There is never going to be anything else between us. We are _over._ How many ways do I have to spell that out to you?"

"Well then come to my place, like I told you to," she challenged. "Then you can show me how over we are. If we're really over, then what better way to show that than with one last night? You know, a bit of closure?"

Eric sighed. "It's never closure with you, Gloria. It's never one last anything. Besides, I have plans on Thursday night."

Gloria smirked. "You say that now, baby, but you'll cancel them. You can't stay away from me, you never could. You'll be here."

Eric cringed inwardly as Calleigh stepped into the lab, greeting him cheerfully. He held up a finger, signaling that he'd just be a minute more. "This conversation is over," he said quietly, watching as Calleigh's eyes gazed at him questioningly.

Not giving Gloria the chance to reply, Eric snapped his phone shut, a smile immediately touching his lips as he gave all of his attention to Calleigh. "Hey, beautiful," he greeted, adoring the soft blush that touched her cheeks at the endearment. 

"Hey," Calleigh replied, tilting her head toward his phone. "Who was that?"

Eric shook his head dismissively. "Just a disgruntled district attorney," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "They're pushy; you know that."

Calleigh gave a light chuckle. "Trust me, I do," she replied, her eyes sparkling. "So what're you up to?"

Eric opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak, a distinct beep came from the computer, signaling that it had found a print. "Come here," he murmured, gently taking her hand and leading her to the computer. He lifted the photograph from the table, showing it to Calleigh. "I found these buried in the garden," he said.

"You actually found scissors there?" Calleigh asked disbelievingly. "Who would leave these behind?"

Eric clicked the mouse, bringing up a mugshot and the accompanying ten-card. "This guy, apparently," he replied, gesturing to the screen. "I found a print on the scissors, and AFIS says the print belongs to him."

Calleigh squinted, leaning closer to the screen. "Who in the world is that, and why would he cut my tulips?"

Eric couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved that Calleigh didn't recognize the man. "You don't know him?"

"I've never seen him before in my life," Calleigh replied, shaking her head.

"Then maybe this was just a random act of vandalism," Eric surmised. "His rap sheet lists a few incidents of vandalism, so maybe that's all it was. God, that makes me feel so much better," he added, chuckling in relief.

Calleigh glanced up at him. "What do you mean?"

Leaning forward, Eric placed a quick kiss to her forehead, ever mindful of their current location. "If this was just random vandalism, then that means somebody isn't targeting you specifically. You don't know how worried I was."

A slow smile traced its way across her lips, and Calleigh dropped her eyes, feeling her cheeks tint as well. "You're too sweet," she murmured.

Eric grinned. "You're sweeter," he replied, wishing they weren't at work right now so he could kiss her fully on the lips. With a smile, he took a quick look at his watch, realizing that he could fix that right now, quite easily. "You uh, wanna go get some lunch? It's been a while since we've had a quiet lunch, just you and me, you know?"

Calleigh nodded, a smile on her lips. "I'd like that. How 'bout I catch you out front in, say, ten minutes?"

"Sounds good," Eric replied, finding himself transfixed by the sparkle in Calleigh's eyes.

"Then it's a date!" With a quick look around, Calleigh gauged that the coast was clear before stepping up on her tiptoes and pressing a soft kiss to Eric's lips. "I'll see you outside," she said with a soft giggle, her hair flowing behind her as she made her way out of the lab.

A smile on his lips, Eric quickly cleared the computer screen. He removed his lab coat and his gloves, and just as he was about to step out of the lab, he felt a vibration at his hip. His phone.

This time, it was just a text message, but it was annoying all the same.

_Thursday night. 9:00. You forget it…and I'll have to punish you, baby. But you'd like that too much, wouldn't you? XOXOXO. _

Disgusted, Eric sent the message straight to the trash. He'd had enough of Gloria to last seven lifetimes. There was no way he was going over to her place Thursday night, nor any other night for that matter.

The only woman he wanted to spend not only his Thursday night with, but also every other night of the week with was currently waiting for him outside. And Eric didn't want to keep her waiting.


End file.
